Britain experiences wettest year since records began

BARRIERS have been raised on the River Thames for the first time in two years to protect the British capital from flooding as rain continued to pour and 2012 was set to become the wettest year since records began.

London's flood defence system was raised yesterday after the Environment Agency warned flooding in low lying areas along the river in the capital could flood from current tides exacerbated by a full moon tomorrow and continuing rains on already saturated grounds.

The last time the barrier was closed was in March 2010 after a storm surge in the North Sea threatened flooding.

A storm now in the Atlantic about Iceland is to bring heavier rain - as much as six weeks worth in just three days - as well as add to a tidal surge. Forecasters are predicting the Atlantic storm could bring an extra 50mm of rain as well as 130km/h winds across Britain.

Already several properties along the Thames and other tributaries were being flooded.

The flood gates took just over two and a half hours to raise in the morning and were lowered again in the evening to let the tide out. The same is expected to be repeated today.

The south west of the country has been hardest hit. Dramatic images were released yesterday showing a cliff collapse just metres from a house at Lannacombe Bay in South Devon. The weather has also been blamed for fires at a school and hotel in Dorset.

"With the ground still very wet and river levels running high, any rain is likely to increase the risk of flooding," an Environment Agency spokesman said.

"There is also an ongoing risk of flooding from groundwater, particularly in Dorset, and some larger rivers like the Thames and Severn are still rising as they slowly respond to the recent downpours.

"As a result, we may see further flooding of low-lying land, such as flood plains and low-lying roads as the peak in river levels moves downstream."

The year is likely to be the wettest for the UK on record, since records were kept from 1910, with just 46mm of rain needed from now until December 31 to set the record. A new record has already been set for England with more than 1095mm falling so far this year. The UK as a whole had had 1295mm of rain from January 1 to Boxing Day; the current record was set in 2000 when 1337.3mm fell.

Meanwhile the winds and ice rain has turned to snow for many parts of North England and Scotland adding to transport woes across the UK .